The road to the Crystal Vale stretched like a scar across Eryndor's rugged plains, its dirt churned by countless boots and wheels.
Three days out of Varnholt, and the city's grime felt like a distant memory, replaced by the bite of wind and the endless horizon.
Mira walked beside Kael, her satchel slung over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the landscape as if answers hid in the swaying grass. Torren took the lead, his longsword sheathed but his hand never far from its hilt.
The warrior's silence was heavier than what Kael would like, but his skill had kept them alive so far.
The sun hung low, painting the sky in hues of amber and blood. They'd avoided the main roads, sticking to game trails to dodge the Order of the Shroud. But the Veilkey's hum seemed to draw trouble like moths to a flame.
Kael felt it in the air, a wrongness that prickled his skin, like the world was holding its breath.
Mira had tried explaining it, something about the Veil thinning, but her words only made his head ache.
He was a thief, not a scholar. All he knew was the orb was trouble, and he was stuck with it.
"We need to rest," Mira said, breaking the silence. Her braid was fraying, and dust smudged her face, but her voice held steady. "There's a village ahead, Thornwick. We can find shelter, maybe supplies."
Torren glanced back, his scarred jaw tight. "Villages mean people. People mean questions. You sure your shiny toy won't bring more of those Shroud bastards?"
Mira's eyes narrowed. "The Veilkey's not a toy. And we can't keep running on empty. We need food, water, a place to plan."
Kael sided with Mira, though he hated admitting it. His stomach growled, and his boots were wearing thin. "She's right. We blend in, keep low. I've done it before."
Torren snorted. "You're a thief, not a ghost. That thing's practically singing. Don't cry to me when it draws a crowd."
Kael ignored him, focusing on the faint smoke rising in the distance. Thornwick was close, nestled in a shallow valley where the plains dipped toward a sluggish river.
As they crested a hill, the village came into view: thatched roofs, wooden fences, a mill turning lazily by the water. But something was off. The air shimmered, like heat rising from stone, and a low hum echoed, not unlike the Veilkey's. Kael's hand went to the pouch at his belt, where the orb's glow pulsed faintly through the fabric.
Mira stopped, her face pale. "This isn't right. The Veil's thinning here. Badly."
"More of your scholar nonsense?" Torren asked, but his hand rested on his sword.
"It's not nonsense," Mira snapped. "Look at the sky."
Kael followed her gaze. Above Thornwick, the clouds twisted into unnatural shapes, spiraling like a slow whirlpool. The air felt heavy, pressing against his chest. "What's causing it?" he asked.
Mira's voice was grim. "A breach. The Veil's torn, letting the Otherworld bleed through. The Veilkey's presence might be making it worse."
"Great," Kael muttered. "So I'm carrying a beacon for monsters."
Torren's eyes flicked to the village. "We should skirt it. No sense walking into a trap."
But before they could move, a scream pierced the air. It came from Thornwick, sharp and desperate, followed by a chorus of shouts. Kael's instincts kicked in. "Trouble's already here. We can't just walk away."
Mira nodded, though her expression was tight. "If it's a breach, we need to see how bad it is. It could tell us more about the Veilkey."
Torren cursed under his breath but drew his sword. "Fine. But if this goes south, I'm not dying for your heroics."
They descended the hill, moving quickly but cautiously. As they neared Thornwick, the air grew thicker, charged with a static that made Kael's hair stand on end. The village was in chaos. Villagers ran through the streets, some clutching tools or makeshift weapons, others dragging children toward the mill.
The shimmer in the air was stronger here, distorting the edges of buildings like a warped mirror. At the village square, a crowd gathered around a figure crumpled on the ground, a girl no older than sixteen, her clothes tattered and her auburn hair wild.
Kael slowed, his hand on his dagger. The girl was shaking, her hands glowing with a faint, erratic light that pulsed in time with the Veilkey's hum. The villagers kept their distance, their faces a mix of fear and anger. "Witch!" one shouted, brandishing a pitchfork. "She brought this curse!"
Mira pushed forward, ignoring Kael's warning grab. "She's not a witch," she called, her voice cutting through the noise. "She's affected by the Veil. Let me help."
The villagers turned, their eyes wary. A burly man with a blacksmith's apron stepped forward, his hammer raised. "Who are you? More outsiders bringing trouble?"
"We're travelers," Mira said, raising her hands to show she was unarmed. "I know about the Veil. That girl's not your enemy. Something's breaking through, and we can help."
Kael stayed back, scanning the crowd. Torren flanked him, his sword low but ready. The girl on the ground looked up, her eyes wide with panic. "I didn't mean to," she stammered. "It just happened."
Before Mira could reach her, the air in the square pulsed. A crack appeared, not in the ground but in the air itself, a jagged tear glowing with sickly green light. The villagers screamed, scattering as a shape slithered through, all limbs and shadow, its form shifting like liquid.
Kael's heart raced. It was like the creatures in Varnholt's sewers, but larger, its eyes burning with malice.
Torren moved first, his sword slashing at the creature. The blade cut through, but the shadow reformed, lashing out with a tendril that knocked him back. Kael grabbed Mira, pulling her behind a cart. "Your crystal trick. Can you do it again?"
Mira shook her head, clutching her satchel. "I told you, it was one-use. But the Veilkey might help."
"Are you mad?" Kael hissed. "You said it's making this worse."
"It's also the only thing strong enough to close a breach," Mira said. "If we don't act, that thing will tear this village apart."
The girl in the square screamed again, her hands flaring brighter. The creature turned toward her, drawn to the light. Kael cursed and darted forward, dodging a tendril as he reached the girl. "Get up!" he shouted, pulling her to her feet. She was light, trembling, her eyes unfocused. "What's your name?"
"Eryn," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I don't know what's happening to me."
"Join the club," Kael said, dragging her toward Mira.
The creature lunged, and Kael shoved Eryn behind the cart, narrowly avoiding a swipe that splintered the wood. Torren was back on his feet, hacking at the creature with no effect. The villagers were no help, either fleeing or frozen in terror.
Mira knelt beside Eryn, her voice calm despite the chaos. "Your magic. It's tied to the Otherworld. Can you control it?"
Eryn shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "It started today. I touched a stone in the fields, and it glowed, and then this happened."
Kael pulled the Veilkey from its pouch, its silver light spilling out. The creature's attention snapped to it, its form rippling. "Mira, whatever you're planning, do it fast."
Mira took the Veilkey, her hands steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Eryn, focus on me. Your magic's amplifying the breach, but it might also close it. The Veilkey can guide you."
Eryn's glow flickered, her breath hitching. "I can't. It hurts."
"You have to," Mira said. "Feel the Veilkey's rhythm. Match it."
Kael ducked as another tendril lashed out, grazing his shoulder. Pain flared, but he ignored it, grabbing his dagger and slashing at the creature to buy time. Torren joined him, his sword a blur, but the creature kept coming, its form splitting into smaller shadows that swarmed the square.
Mira placed the Veilkey in Eryn's hands, guiding her trembling fingers. "Breathe. Feel the hum. Let it flow through you."
Eryn closed her eyes, her glow steadying. The Veilkey's light pulsed in sync, and the air around the breach shimmered. The creature howled, its shadows writhing as the tear began to shrink.
Kael and Torren fell back, guarding the girls as the villagers watched in stunned silence. The breach snapped shut with a sound like breaking glass, and the creature dissolved into wisps of smoke.
Eryn slumped, the Veilkey slipping from her hands. Kael caught it, shoving it back into the pouch. The square was quiet, save for the villagers' murmurs. The blacksmith lowered his hammer, his face a mix of awe and suspicion. "What was that?"
"A breach," Mira said, helping Eryn stand. "The Veil's weakening. This girl's magic is tied to it, but she's not your enemy."
The blacksmith's eyes narrowed. "She brought that thing here. She's dangerous."
"She's a kid," Kael snapped, stepping between Eryn and the crowd. "You want to blame someone, blame me. I'm the one with the orb."
Torren sheathed his sword, his voice low. "We need to move. The Shroud won't be far behind, and this mess will draw them like flies."
Mira nodded, turning to Eryn. "Come with us. We're going to the Crystal Vale, to someone who can help. Your magic's part of this. You can't stay here."
Eryn's eyes darted to the villagers, then back to Mira. "They hate me. But I don't know you."
"You don't have a choice," Kael said, softer than he meant. "Stay, and they'll turn on you. Or worse, the Shroud will find you."
Eryn hesitated, then nodded, her shoulders slumping. "Okay."
The blacksmith stepped forward, his voice gruff. "Take her and go. We don't want more trouble."
Kael didn't argue. He led the group out of the square, past wary eyes and whispered curses. The village felt smaller now, its streets oppressive under the fading light.
They reached the outskirts, where the road to the Crystal Vale stretched into the darkening plains. Eryn walked close to Mira, her hands still faintly glowing, though the light was weaker now.
Torren fell into step beside Kael. "You're collecting strays now? That girl's a liability."
"She closed the breach," Kael said, though he shared Torren's doubts. "That's more than you did."
Torren's scar twitched, but he didn't argue. Mira spoke up, her voice firm. "Eryn's magic is tied to the Veilkey. She might be the key to using it properly. We need her."
Kael glanced at Eryn, her face pale and drawn. She looked fragile, but there was a spark in her eyes, something stubborn. He knew that look. He'd worn it himself, years ago, when the world had chewed him up and spit him out. "Fine," he said. "But if she blows us up, I'm blaming you, Mira."
Mira managed a small smile. "Noted."
As they walked, the Veilkey's hum grew steady, almost soothing. But Kael felt the weight of eyes on them, not from the village but from the shadows beyondgo
The Shroud was out there, and the Otherworld was stirring. He tightened his grip on his dagger, wondering how deep this trouble would go.
End of Chapter 3.